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Month: June 2021

The countdown is on to Dubai

by: Cassandra Tanti
22/06/2021

The 22nd June marks 100 days until the opening of Expo 2020 Dubai and the Monaco Pavilion, where the Principality will “sell” its assets to the world.
The international exhibition was initially planned for 2020 in the United Arab Emirates, however the global Covid-19 pandemic forced its postponement.
So, it will now be held from 1st October 2021 until 31st March 2022 under the theme ‘Connecting minds, building the future’ and focusing on three key areas: opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Monaco’s participation in the expo is through its purpose-built sustainable pavilion ‘Monaco 360, a world of opportunity’, which will show all of the different facets of the Principality, its uniqueness, businesses, projects and assets… “A reality that is too often overlooked,” according to the government in a statement.
“The obsession has been to prepare a Pavilion which will show the wider world that Monaco unites talents in all fields, from medicine to art, through research, safety and innovation,” says Albert Croesi, Commissioner General of the Monaco Pavilion and Managing Director of Monaco Inter Expo. “Hence the Monaco 360 theme that we are going to develop during the six months of Expo 2020 Dubai by inviting all public, cultural and private entities who will present, in turn, their field.”
 
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Monaco Pavilion close to completion

 
 
 

End of an era

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/06/2021

After 22 years in the position, Michel Dotta is stepping down as President of the Chambre Immobilière Monégasque, handing over the reins to Alain Vivalda.
It’s the end of an era at the Monaco Real Estate Chamber as long-standing President Michel Dotta turns over the position to the professional association’s current secretary general. Alain Vivalda’s position will fall to current Treasurer Carol Millo, who will be replaced by Anne-Marie Monaco.
Michel Dotta, owner of successful local real estate agency Dotta Immobilier, has held the top spot since 1999 and has overseen many changes and the growth of the association.
In an interview with La Gazette de Monaco, he spoke of what he considers his most significant achievements, saying, “Basically, I think it was to have recognised the role of the Real Estate Chamber, which now has a place in Monaco, and to have succeeded in having it consulted both by the government and by the National Council on all matters. I think it can be said that we have ‘professionalised’ this profession. There were only 50 members in 1999 compared to 86 today … and 89 tomorrow.”
Some of his notable accomplishments include being instrumental in passing a law that requires agents to prove professional aptitude, as well as to provide financial guarantees and hold civil liability insurance. The organisation also helped the government put a limit on the creation of agencies that are allowed to operate in the Principality.
Under Dotta’s leadership, the organisation also did its part in fighting against money laundering and is currently in meetings with representatives from Moneyval, the permanent monitoring body of the Council of Europe entrusted with the task of assessing compliance with the principal international standards to counter money laundering and the financing of terrorism.
Dotta will tie up loose ends on commitments made until the end of 2021, then will step down completely, giving new members a chance to shine. He says he still has things he’d like to see accomplished but will leave those to the next generation. Amongst them, he would like to “on the one hand, encourage non-members to apply in order to give the real estate board an even larger audience and to lead to a more general control of the activity, in particular at the level of bank guarantees. On the other hand, to curb the creation of new agencies by asking the government to strengthen admission conditions but also to remove dormant licenses that risk being transferred for effective creation.”
What will this busy man do after he retires his position? “I’m happy to quit,” he told Monaco Matin, then added happily, “I’ve worked a lot and I have the feeling that I did the job well. It will also be time to play a little more golf.”
 
 

“Make boxing glamorous again”

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/06/2021

A unique gala called ‘Chill Out on the Bay’ is being planned by Ambitious Monte-Carlo in July, combining boxing with glamour and marking a comeback of the sport after the pandemic.
The English boxing gala will be held from 1st to 3rd July near Calvi, Corsica at the stunning Villa Plage. It includes boxing matches and an after-party with live DJ, followed by a “Barbeque of the Kings” on the final day.
Ambitious Monte-Carlo’s Romain Goiran says he decided to organise the gala as a way to ease back in to the sport after the constraints of the past year and a half due to the pandemic.
“Our job is to prepare the boxers to fight,” he said. “Considering the current situation, very few opportunities to fight have come to the table. So, it was evolve or close, and the natural evolution of working in boxing is having your own organisation.”
His other goal was to make boxing glamorous again. The organisers of the event want to change perceptions of boxing from a sport only for the underclasses to a sport that reclaims the glory days when people saw boxing as a gentlemen’s game.
“The reality is such that today’s public has become familiar with an idea of ​​boxing, especially in France, that is not necessarily compatible with luxury,” said Romain Goiran. “The objective is to create an event concept around boxing capable of attracting other customers. Being a Monegasque resident, my event culture revolves around elitism. I think that French professional boxing today needs a new setting to survive the economic difficulties it is experiencing.”

Headlining the event is four-time world champion Hassan N’Dam N’Jikam, who is eager to help make Goiran’s dream a reality.
“I’m 37-years-old and have stepped into the ring all over the world,” he said. “However, this concept of a gala where luxury and boxing are associated will be a first for me. It’s very exciting.”
Art and charity will also feature in the weekend, with pieces on display by artist Julien Marinetti. Some of the artist’s works will line the ring as well as the floor, taking the place of sponsors. After the match, the art will be cut out and sold at auction to benefit the Calvi Hospital.
Louis Ducruet is a sponsor of the event and says he is proud to back the concept. “It is very important for me to associate myself with those who wish to export Monegasque sport outside the borders of Monaco,” he said. “Combining such an event with the charity side, which I am very close to, strengthens the support I can bring to this great project.”
Ambitious Monte-Carlo is a boxing management agency based in Monaco. Their boxers represent the Monegasque colours in top-flight venues such as Madison Square Garden in New York City.
 
 

Lady Moura sale breaks records

by: Cassandra Tanti
22/06/2021

The iconic original superyacht Lady Moura has been sold after just a year and a half on the market for an eye-watering €105 million.
Camper & Nicholsons announced the in-house sale of Lady Moura on Friday evening. Listed exclusively with the company for 554 days, the sale represents the fastest known brokerage sale of a 100+ metre vessel in the last 10 years, as well as the largest yacht sale recorded by a brokerage house since 2019. Her asking price was €105 million (US $125 million).
“Camper & Nicholsons is extremely proud to deliver such an excellent result to the owner, who recognised in the company a combination of unrivalled heritage and industry-leading innovation that made it the only choice to entrust the sale of such a beloved yacht,” said Camper & Nicholsons in a statement.
The legendary 105m motor yacht was delivered by Blohm+Voss in 1990 and was presented to the market for the first time a year and a half ago. Throughout the decades, her annual arrival in Monaco heralded the start of the summer season.

Lady Moura sails into Monaco

Lady Moura was the highly private vessel of Saudi Arabian businessman Nasser Al-Rashid and was built to host royalty and dignitaries, a family residence that became a point of reference in Monaco’s Port Hercules. Until her listing, she had never welcomed brokers or charter guests on board. Much detail about her Luigi Sturchio-styled interiors had remained a closely guarded secret.
Catapulted into the list of top 10 yachts in the world upon her delivery, she has been called the original superyacht: the beach club, the hydraulic fold-out balcony and the tender garage were among her pioneering features. Incredible interior volumes — her beam is 18.5m — and a seven-deck arrangement are just two of her stand-out features. Her listing on the brokerage market generated plenty of buzz.
The saloon of the Lady Moura

“I am extremely pleased we achieved such a result and the timeframe in which we achieved it makes it even more exceptional. I would like to thank all the people involved, across our Marketing, CRM, Legal, Brokerage and Management departments as this was a truly joint effort that makes me so very proud to work for this company, with every single team member we have today,” said CEO Paolo Casani.
The sale was achieved by Sales Brokers Arne Ploch and Andrew LeBuhn representing the seller and Fernando Nicholson representing the undisclosed buyer.
“An iconic vessel that defines the world of gigayachting has been sold in-house and three very senior and experienced yacht brokers have been able to achieve one of the great successes in yachting in 2021 thanks to the dedication and organisation of all the departments of C&N, starting from the CEO down. This remarkable sale is thanks to truly solid and experienced teamwork,” sad Senior Sales Broker Fernando Nicholson.
 
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Inside the Lady Moura
 
Photos by Camper & Nicholsons
 
 
 

Roca team make the semi-finals

by: Stephanie Horsman
22/06/2021

AS Monaco Basketball are heading to the Jeep Elite Final Four after defeating Bourg-en-Bresse at home, topped off by Coach Zvevdan Mitrovic receiving the award for Best Coach of the Season from Prince Albert II.

It was a banner night for ASM Basketball with their win against Bourg-en-Bresse in the Jeep Elite quarterfinals at home at Gaston Médecin in front of 1,000 fans on Monday, including Prince Albert and F1 driver Charles Leclerc.

The 91 to 72 victory will take the team to Dijon for the semi-finals.

Bourg made the opening shot, with former Monaco Player Zack Wright taking the lead. The lead was short lived as Damien Inglis jumped into the fray evening up the score. The first quarter was filled with tit-for-tat as the two teams battled for control. Bourg had the advantage, seeing the quarter end with the score sitting at 19 to 24, but the second quarter was the great equaliser.

Monaco outgunned their opponents 21 points to 15 in the second quarter, sending them into the locker room with a miniscule lead of 40 to 39, but a lead nonetheless.

The second half started with a three-pointer executed beautifully by Abdou N’Doye on a Mathias Lessort rebound. The Roca defence went into overdrive at the same time that the offense picked up steam. They scored a succession of points putting Monaco firmly in the lead by the end of the third quarter, adding 36 points to their score versus only 19 for Bourg.

This hefty lead gave the Roca team just the energy they needed to carry them into the final quarter, where Gaston Médecin exploded with fans singing “We are the Champions” at full blast, and the Roca Girls proudly waving Monaco flags.

The last minute of play had the whole arena on its feet, and when the buzzer sounded marking the end, the room erupted in cheers and clapping.

It was at this point that Prince Albert II took the opportunity to offer the Best Coach of the Season trophy the Coach Zvevdan, who was humbled by the distinction, saying, “My trophy is a great honour and I wish to dedicate it to my players and to my staff, the success of a team cannot be whole without a good organisation behind.”

JJ O’Brien summed it up what the win means to his team saying, “We had a great time sharing with the fans, it gives us a lot of energy. In the Final Four we will still go to win.”

Monaco made 33 shots out of 77 attempts, going eight for 27 in three-point range. They had 39 rebounds, picked up six strays, had 15 assists and stole the ball 15 times.

Marcos Knight was high scorer with 21 points, followed by Fall Faye and Mahalbasić with eleven each.

The Roca team head to Dijon to play on Thursday afternoon in the Jeep Elite Semi-finals. If they win there, it’s onto the championship finals.

 
 
 
Monaco Life with AS Monaco Basketball press release, photo by AS Monaco Basketball
 
 
 

IHO, founded by Prince Albert I, celebrates centenary

by: Stephanie Horsman
21/06/2021

Prince Albert joined the International Hydrographic Organisation for its 100th anniversary celebrations on Monday, an entity that his great great grandfather founded. 
Founded on 21st June 1921 by Prince Albert I, the International Hydrographic Organisation (IHO) has grown to encompass 94 member states whose main goal is to ensure that the world’s seas, oceans and navigable waters are properly surveyed and charted, creating international standards followed by all sailors.
As part of the centennial celebrations, Prince Albert II was joined by Dr. Mathias Jonas, Secretary General of the IHO, Engineer General Laurent Kerléguer, Director General of the French Hydrographic and Oceanographic Service (SHOM) and Peter Thomson, UN Special Envoy for the Oceans where they broadcasted live on YouTube on the IHO channel.
Italy sent the flagship of the Italian navy, the Amerigo Vespucci, which is currently being used as a training vessel for cadets.
In addition to looking at their illustrious past, the celebrations looked to the future, demonstrating modern technologies being used to get hydro-oceanographic data, such as drones and autonomous vehicles which will deployed from the Principality.
iXblue demonstrated the Drix, a 7.7 metre autonomous surface vehicle capable of being run either by remote control or through completely autonomous operations in supervised mode.
The ECA group then presented the A18D autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) on the Port Hercule seawall in Quai Rainier III. The A18D is 5.5m long, has a range of 24 hours, can reach speeds of 6 knots and can operate at a depth of 3,000m.
ECA and iXblue had stands offering technical information with video support on the quay in front of the Amerigo Vespucci.
Access was free and open to the public, and staff were on hand to answer questions and exhibit new seabed mapping strategies, as well as show how the autonomous vehicles collect data.
Meanwhile, a webinar was held focusing on the future of hydrography with talks from representatives from IHO member states and industry partners including Dr. Geneviève Bechard, Director of the Canadian Hydrographic Service and President of the IHO Council, Bjorn Jalving, Senior Vice President for Technology at Kongsberg, Emma Wise, Sales Director at SevenCs / ChartWorld International and Dr. Peter Heffernan, Ambassador for the Ocean, former CEO of the Marine Institute Ireland.
The IHO enjoys observer status at the United Nations, where it is the recognised competent authority on hydrographic surveying and nautical charting. When referring to hydrography and nautical charting in Conventions and similar Instruments, it is the IHO standards and specifications that are normally used.
 
 
Photo by Stephane Danna, Government Communication Department